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8.5 : M Shami to U Khawaja, And this one takes off! Signs of the pitch begin a little up and down? Maybe. This is shortish and outside off, Khawaja slashes at it but is done in by the extra bounce.

8.4 : M Shami to U Khawaja, That stayed low! It is bowled around off and it slants away. Khawaja tries to keep it out off the back foot but is beaten by the low bounce.

8.3 : M Shami to U Khawaja, Fuller in length around off, Khawaja strokes it to covers. Both the batters are not able to find the gap on their drives. This is relatively full and are balls which should be scored off.

8.2 : M Shami to U Khawaja, The inside edge probably saves Khawaja there. It is on a length and around middle, Usma tries to work it across the line, the ball hits the inside edge and goes onto hit the pads. No inside edge and he could have been an LBW candidate.

K Ahmed to A Carey, Better from Ahmed here. Fuller length delivery outside off, Carey pushes the ball back to the fielder at mid on.

7.5 : K Ahmed to A Carey, FOUR! Beautiful shot! Khaleel overpitches it on middle and leg Carey beautifully times his flick and beautifully finds the gap between mid on and mid-wicket. The ball races away to the boundary.

7.4 : K Ahmed to A Carey, Fuller length delivery on middle and leg, Carey pushes it back to the fielder at mid on.

7.3 : K Ahmed to A Carey, Slightly fuller on middle and off. Alex defends it off his front foot.

7.2 : K Ahmed to A Carey, Good ball! Length delivery outside off. The ball bounces high after pitching and Carey who tries to punch it through the offside but misses it completely due to the extra bounce on that one. He is lucky that he didn’t edge that one.

7.1 : K Ahmed to U Khawaja, Length delivery outside off, Khwaja guides it away to the point region for a single.

6.6 : B Kumar to A Carey, Another nicely timed shot but does not find the gap through the packed off side field. It is a length ball outside off, Carey stands tall and then strokes it on the up but finds cover-point. Another tight over by Kumar. He has gone for just 11 in his 4 overs and also picked up the big wicket of Finch.

6.5 : B Kumar to A Carey, Back of a length this time! Carey tucks it around the corner for a couple. This is a good partnership building here for the Aussies.

6.4 : B Kumar to A Carey, The batsman has played that off the front foot and into the ground.

6.3 : B Kumar to U Khawaja, On the shorter side, Khawaja stands tall and works it around the corner for a run.

6.2 : B Kumar to U Khawaja, Fullish again on off, Khawaja strokes it to covers, Rayudu there makes a good stop.

6.1 : B Kumar to U Khawaja, Another nicely timed shot but it is straight to the fielder! On a length and around off, Khawaja strokes it to the man at covers.

5.6 : K Ahmed to A Carey, Crisp drive! Fuller in length on off, Carey strokes it to the man at mid off.

5.5 : K Ahmed to U Khawaja, Khawaja now gets off strike but guiding it down to third man.

5.4 : K Ahmed to U Khawaja, EDGED BUT SHORT! Overthrows then! That was nicely played by Khawaja. Khaleel bowls a decent delivery as he lands it on a length around off, the ball rises onto the batsman after pitching. Khawaja plays it by taking a hand off the handle. It goes off the outside edge and on the bounce to first slip. He dives and makes a half-stop. The batter take a run. He has a needless shy at the striker’s end and hits the stumps. The ball deflects away from the fielder backing up and

5.3 : K Ahmed to U Khawaja, Squares him up there! Length delivery around off, the ball pitches and then straightens. Khawaja tries to defend but is squared up, the ball hits the outer half and goes towards point.

5.2 : K Ahmed to U Khawaja, Length delivery again, UK gets right behind the line and blocks it out.

4.4 : B Kumar to A Carey, FOUR! TOP SHOT! Just the little width offered there and Carey pounces on it. Also, it is slightly shorter in length, Carey stands tall and just guides it in the gap through cover-point. The outfield is lightning fast and it races away to the fence.

4.3 : B Kumar to A Carey, Back of a length around off, Carey blocks it onto the ground. Kumar is bowling with a lot of fizz here.

4.2 : B Kumar to A Carey, BEATEN! Carey is looking really good here! The old zip which was missing in his bowling in recent times is visible here today. He lands it on a length and around off, it angles away and also takes off after pitching. Carey plays inside the line and the ball whizzes past the outside edge.

4.1 : B Kumar to A Carey, Good length around off, Carey tries to defend but he gets an inside edge onto his pads.

3.6 : K Ahmed to A Carey, A single to end the over! A good one for Australia. 10 from it. Carey strokes it to mid off and takes off. The fielder there is quick to the ball and has a shy at the non-striker’s end but misses.

3.5 : K Ahmed to A Carey, Khaleel goes full and around off, Carey strokes it to mid off.

3.4 : K Ahmed to A Carey, FOUR! Streaky but effective! Length and around off, it shapes away a little. Carey tries to guide it down to third man but it goes off the edge, finer than he would have liked and it races to the third man fence. Second boundary in the over.

3.3 : K Ahmed to A Carey, Another one which is wide outside off, Carey is not going fishing at those deliveries at the moment.

3.2 : K Ahmed to A Carey, Goes wide outside off, Carey makes a leave.

3.1 : K Ahmed to A Carey, FOUR! Yes, he does! Khaleel bowls a poor length ball on middle, easy pickings for Carey, he flat-bats it over the mid on fielder and it races to the fence.

0.0 : Free Hit time!

3.1 : K Ahmed to A Carey, NO BALL! Khaleel has overstepped yet again. This one is a big no ball. He lands it on a length and Carey keeps it out. Second Free Hit coming up, can they make use of it this time?

2.6 : B Kumar to U Khawaja, Usman is off the mark with a brace. Not a convincing shot though. Kumar lands it around middle and gets this one to jag back in. Khawaja tries to work it on the leg side but it goes off the inner half through square leg for a brace. End of a successful over for India.

2.5 : B Kumar to U Khawaja, Goes fuller this time, no swing on offer though. Khawaja easily strokes it to mid off.

2.4 : B Kumar to U Khawaja, Pulls his length back slightly around off, Khawaja punches it to the man at covers.

2.3 : B Kumar to U Khawaja, Right on the money to the left-hander as well. On a length and around off, Khawaja blocks it out.

2.2 : Usman Khawaja arrives at number 3, replacing his skipper.

B Kumar to A Finch, OUT! Bowled! Gone right through! Test match, T20I or ODI – Aaron Finch continues to be a walking wicket. He departs cheaply again and Bhuvi roars to get his 100TH ODI SCALP. What a beauty by Bhuvneshwar! He beautifully deceives the Aussie skipper. The previous ball moved away from him this time Kumar swings it back in and Finch is completely deceived. The ball was a bit fuller and pitched outside off. Aaron tries to defend it but the ball goes straight through the gap be

2.1 : B Kumar to A Finch, Length delivery outside off, the ball moves away and finds the outside edge of Finch’s defensive bat. The ball reaches the fielder at gully on a bounce.

1.6 : K Ahmed to A Finch, A bit shorter on length and Finch rocks onto his back foot and punches the ball away on the leg side. The big boundaries in SCG helps them get 3 runs.

1.4 : K Ahmed to A Finch, Length delivery on middle, Finch flicks it towards mid-wicket for a couple.

1.3 : K Ahmed to A Finch, No he cannot. A bit shorter on length and Finch tries to hit it over mid-wicket but misses it completely.

FREE HIT TIME!

K Ahmed to A Finch, Khaleel over steps and the umpire calls it a no ball. The ball was bowled on middle, Finch blocks it off the front foot. Can he make use the most of it?

1.2 : K Ahmed to A Finch, Length delivery on middle, Finch defends it off the front foot.

1.1 : K Ahmed to A Finch, Length delivery on middle jags back in and hits Finch high on his pads.

0.6 : Khaleel Ahmed to bowl with the second new ball.

B Kumar to A Finch, Now, the outside edge is induced. Around off, moving away, Aaron looks to defend but gets a thick outside edge which goes past gully towards third man. A run taken.

0.5 : B Kumar to A Finch, Huge shout for LBW! Turned down! Close, very close. Where was the impact? Outside off, one reckons. Probably the umpire too, feels the same. Full and around off, Finch looks to defend but his weakness over the years – that incoming ball – nearly consumes him. He is hit on the pads and Bhuvi appeals but no one even thinks about the review.

0.4 : B Kumar to A Carey, Around off, pushed to the off side for a quick single.

0.3 : B Kumar to A Carey, Fuller in length, in line of the stumps, watchfully pushed back.

0.2 : B Kumar to A Carey, Down the leg side, Alex misses his flick and is hit on the pads. The ball drops down the leg side.

0.1 : B Kumar to A Carey, On a good length around middle, watchfully defended.

0.0 : The anthems are done and dusted and it is time for the game to begin. Alex Carey and Aaron Finch will open for the Aussies. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who had to sit out the Test series, gets a chance in this format. He will bowl with the first new ball to Carey. Let’s play!

Time for the national anthems. India’s first up.

Indian skipper, Virat Kohli, says that he too, would have batted first as it looks like a good wicket. But also says that the pitch should stay the same throughout the game and chasing may not be a bad option either. Adds that they are always looking to improve as a side. Aims to bowl and restrict oppositions. Indulging further, Kohli aims to keep opposition quiet in the middle overs as that could be the difference between a 360 and a 320. Admits that Rahul and Hardik will be missed as they are

Australian captain, Aaron Finch, admits that Australia had a poor 2018 and their first aim would be to score well in the middle overs as they have been doing fairly well in the Powerplay and at the death. Agrees that playing spin well too is key and aims to keep wickets in hand for the final burst. On his own form, Finch says that he enjoyed the break from the Tests, going back to domestic T20 and is refreshed to return.

TOSS – Time for the spin of coin. Aaron Finch has it in his hand, TAILS is the call from Virat Kohli but it is a HEAD. AUSTRALIA OPT TO BAT FIRST.

PITCH REPORT – Mark Waugh doing the pitch report reckons that it feels very nice and hard. Observes a few cracks and reckons that spin might come into play. Informs that 331 has been the average one-day score batting first at this venue over the last few games and 4 have been won on the trot by the side defending.

PLAYING XI – Hey! Where is the toss? Gosh… have I goofed up? Naaah…. the Australian tradition of announcing a playing XI well before the game commences continues. Aaron Finch has named his line-up and JASON BEHRENDORFF is the debutant, being given the cap by the legendary Glenn McGrath. Adam Zampa and Andrew Tye are notable exclusions while Mitchell Marsh misses out due to sickness. A notable inclusion is that of Peter Siddle, who plays his first ODI since 2010. That too, was at the SCG, aga

WEATHER – Not a cloud in the sky. If you had read this around 3 days back, you would not have believed me. It was raining, it was murky, two days of a Test match barely had any play while a T20 game was washed out after a few overs. But today, there is no such forecast and for now, conditions are just as perfect to play cricket.

Let us not spoil our moods by talking about stuff off the field. After a good break, Australia vs India is back. ODIs are a format where the latter are revelling tremendously, so much so that 2015 World Cup winning captain Michael Clarke had remarked at the end of the Test series, ‘I would be surprised if Virat Kohli did not have the World Cup in his hand at the end of the tournament.’ Hmmm… does that mean that this is going to be a one-sided contest? They say, numbers do not lie. Australia ha

Controversy is the favourite word for stars. Many like to avoid it, but in some point of time in life, they are engulfed in it. Hardik Pandya and Lokesh Rahul will be feeling somewhat similar right now. Having been OFFICIALLY CALLED BACK FROM THE AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND TOURS, the duo have plenty of time to reflect on what could have been. As the common saying goes – ‘Speech is silver, silence is golden.’

The T20Is are done and dusted (When did that happen?) The Test series has ended around a week back. Gosh, it has been such a long tour for India that it is still continuing! After a frenetic red-ball contest, the focus shifts to white-ball cricket again. As the saying goes around, this is the ‘WORLD CUP YEAR.’ New Zealand and Sri Lanka have already inaugurated the season, time for the defending champions and the ‘favourites’, going by the talk of the town to do it. Hello and a warm welcome to th

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